Knitting machine



Jan. 20, 1959 Filed Dec. 18, 1953 4 F/GJ.

R. N. TOONE 2,869,343

KNITTING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 In ventor KALPH NaRmnrl no:

Jan. 20, 1959 R. N. TOONE 2,869,343

I KNITTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 18, 1953 r 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 In venforRALPH NORMAN Too/IE w W% &1

Jan. 20, 1959 Filed Dec. 18, 1953 R. N. TOONE KNITTING MACHINE 5Sheets-Sheet 3,

Inventor RALPH NoRmnn nor/E Jan. 20, 1959 R. N. TOONE 9,

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 18. 1953 5 Sheets-$heet ,4

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In ventor RALPH NORMAN roan/E Jan. 20, 1959 'R. N. TOONE 2,869,343

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 18, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Inventor RALPHNoRmH/Y TWP/E KNITTING MACHINE Ralph Norman Toone, Burton Joyce,England, assignor to B. Toone (Nottingham) Limited Application December18, 1953, Serial No. 399,075

Claims priority, application Great Britain February 26, 1953 11 Claims.(Cl. 66-134) This invention is for improvements in or relating toknitting machines and is particularly concerned with cutting mechanismin a circular knitting machine primarily for the purpose of cuttingsplicing thread. When producing spliced areas in fabric on a circularknitting machine it is usual to introduce the splicing thread intoknitting activity for a predetermined phase during knitting of eachcourse in the spliced area and this results, during the knitting of eachspliced course, in the splicing thread floating chord-like in theinterior of the needle circle. These floats are, in the majority ofinstances, subsequently cut-out by hand but there is described in thespecification of U. S. patent application No. 286,292 filed May 6, 1952,and now abandoned, a cutting device, for the purpose of cutting thethread automatically at each withdrawal thereof so that the formation offloats is avoided, comprising a substantially horizontal platelikemember within the needle circle, there being cutting edges at theperiphery of the plate. When a yarn is withdrawn, it is carried round bythe needles first substantially in line with the needle circle in planview and then in an inward motion in a manner such that it would becomechord-like, in plan, if it were not cut, and the location of the cuttingedges of the aforesaid mechanisms has been spaced inwardly from theneedles such as to receive the yarn during said inward motion of it; theresult is that by the time the yarn is engaged in the cutter, and iscut, there is a length of the yarn extending from the fabric to thecutter and the shortness of this length of yarn is limited by the natureof said mechanism which will not allow disposition of its cutting edgesat a closer location to the fabric.

The object of the invention is to provide cutting mechanism which is animprovement on the mechanism above referred to.

The invention provides, for a knitting machine, particularly a circularknitting machine, having means for introducing knitting yarn and forsubsequently withdrawing it, cutter means fitted or adapted to be fittedto the machine with a cutter disposed at a location closely above headsof the needles and comprising a cutting part disposed or adapted to bedisposed in a plane which is substantially transverse to the directionof reciprocation of the needles. Preferably said location is to theimmediate rear of the hook of a needle partly raised after knock-over,and the cutter means is adapted to be operated for cutting the withdrawnyarn at that stage of motion in the machine when the joint end of thewithdrawn yarn with a loop in the fabric becomes disposed at saidlocation. The location is also preferably whereat said needle has beenraised from the knock-over level to such an extent that that loop in itsbook is elevated towards said cutting edge, this location being UnitedStates Patent p me normally just beyond the knock-over station e. g. tothe extent of a group of about six needles. Said cutting part ispreferably formed with relatively movable opposed cutting edges disposedin V formation when open and capable of being positioned at saidlocation and in said plane in the machine with the mouth of the Vdirected along the needle circle to receive the withdrawn yarn. Themachine may have sinkers and in this event the cutter means are capableof being positioned so that said cutting part is close over nibs ofadjacent sinkers. There may be adjustment means for desired accuratepositioning of said cutting part of the cutter means relatively to theneedles by which it is evident that the withdrawn yarn may be cut at anydesired short distance from the fabric. These adjustment'means may becapable of adjustment of said cutting part of the cutter meanscircumferentially, radially and vertically of the needle circle. Thecutting device may be constructed and arranged for extending from theexterior of the needle circleradially into it and the device may inclinedownwardly towards the needle circle for close relationship between thecutting edges and the needles.

Suitable operating means are provided for operating the cutting devicein suitable timed relation with the withdrawal of the yarn and thecutting device is preferably adapted for automatic displacement into andout of operative position, conveniently by means for positivedisplacement of the cutting device into operative position againstspring means.

There may also be provided machine stop motion operating means wherebyan undesirable raised needle causes stoppage of the machine andpreferably also causes displacement of the cutting device to theinoperative position.

There may also be a controller for controlling the withdrawn yarn afterbeing cut, and also a control device for preventing undesirableretraction of the reintroduced yarn.

The machine may incorporate an automatically displaceable latch ring gapcloser and there may be provided means whereby displacement of this gapcloser causes displacement of the cutter device appropriately into itsoperative and inoperative positions.

The invention further provides a circular knitting machine fitted withcutter means as aforesaid.

The above and other features of the invention set out in the appendedclaims are incorporated in the constructions which will now bedescribed, as specific embodiments with reference to the accompanyingdrawings i which: t

Figure 1 is a perspective view of relevant parts of a circular knittingmachine according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of said mechanism.

Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of part 0 said mechanism.

Figure 4 is a detail side view of part of the mechanism.

- Figure 5 is a detail view of part of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail view of the yarn cutting operation.

Figure 7 is a detail side view of parts of the machine.

Figure 8 is a sectional view of a cutting device.

Figures 9 and 10 are front and rear views of part of a yarn controller.

Figures 11 and 12 are perspective and plan views respectively of amodification.

Referring now to Figure l a circular knitting machine for producingladies stockings is indicated at 1, with 3 needle cylinder 2, sinkerring 3 and bed plate 4. The customary support bracket 5 is provided foryarn guides of which a splicing yarn feeder is shown at 6 biassed by aspring 7 into operative feeding position about its axis and movable outof operation at desired intervals by a thrust bar 8 to which movement isimparted from a reciprocating bar 9 through the medium of a lever 10,one end 11 of which underlies the thrust bar 8 and the other end 12 ofwhich under-lies an arm 13 pivoted to the reciprocating bar 9 (see alsoFigure 5) and which has a stepped part 14 for engagement with a fixedstop 15. This mechanism is operated to move the feeder 6 into and out ofoperation for splicing in known manner and as referred to in theaforesaid patent application, to

which reference is directed for full details, and which briefly consistsin the yarn feeder 6 being moved into and out of operation at desiredintervals in each course during a splicing period to produce paralleland/or shaped splicing. The yarn feeder 6 desirably has a yarn controldevice associated with it (for a purpose hereafter referred to) as shownfor example in Figures 3 and 8 wherein it consists of a pair of yarngripping cymbals 66 attached to the feeder 6 by an adjusting screw 166,with a spring 266, and the cymbals being adapted to be open and closedwhen the feeder is moved up and down by its engagement with a cam bit 67having a chamfered edge 167 for engaging between the cymbals and beingadjustably fixed on part of the bracket 5.

There is also provided, movable into and out of operation with the yarnfeeder 6 (for a purpose hereinafter to be described), a yarn controller16 which, for the purpose, may be mounted substantially in the manneraccording to said specification and movable into operation by link andlever mechanism 17 from a cam drum 37. The yarn controlling lower partof the controller 16 is shown in Figures 9 and from which it will beseen that it consists of thick and thin plates 69 and 70 fixed togetherand to a connecting screw 71 at their upper ends; the thick plate 69 hasa wing part 69a and the thin part 70 has an out-turned lip 70a.

In use the yarn, when the feeder is withdrawn, enters between the plates69 and 70 and is trapped therebetween (Figure 10) until the yarn iswithdrawn therefrom by re-introduction of the feeder. Desirably,therefore, adjustment means are provided (shown assembled in Figure 9and exploded in Figure 10) for adjusting the relationship between theplates 69 and 70 to obtain desired gripping force on the yarn, andconveniently for this purpose there is provided an adjusting screw 100bearing at one end on the inner side of the plate 70 and convenientlyhaving at said end a reduced part 102 projecting through a small hole insaid part 70 for location purposes, and this screw 100 also has a sawgate 163, for turning by a screw driver, at its other end. A splitcollet 104 is fixed to the plate 69 and the screw 100 is screw fitted init, and a nut 105 is screwed on to the collet. The co-operating screwthreads of the screw 100 and collet 104 have exceptionally close pitch,say in the order of 200 threads per inch, and therefore minuteadjustment of the relationship between the two plates 69 and 70 isreadily effected by giving a slight turn to the screw 100, afterunscrewing the nut 105, which latter is thereafter re-tightened.

For the purpose of cutting the yarn each time that it is withdrawn fromoperation there is provided cutter means including a cutting device 18disposed exteriorly of the circle of needles N (Figures 2 and 3) andextending radially of the needle cylinder. The axial position of thiscutting device 18 is such that its inner end or cutter 118 is disposedat a location closely above the heads of the needles and comprises acutting part 218 disposed in a plane which is substantially transverseto the direction of reciprocation of the needles. Said location ispreferably to the immediate rear of the hook of a needle N (Figure 6)partly raised after knock-over and desirably just beyond the knock-overstation KO (say to within about six needles) whereat the needles N haverisen slightly so that the fabric loops thereon are elevated and whereatfor a short distance round the needle circle the needles are maintainedat that height.

The cutting device 18 conveniently comprises a relatively stationarypart 19 with which there is slidably associated a movable cutter part 20having a cutting edge 21 (see particularly Figures 2 and 3), and theopposite part 22 of the stationary part 19 has a c'o-operating cuttingedge 23. The cutting edges 21 and 23 are, as shown, provided on parts ofthe cutting device which are substantially horizontal, parallel to andclose to the fabric, and in a plane substantially transverse to thedirection of reciprocation of the needles and they form a V-shaped notchsubstantially in line with the circle of needles round the cylinder suchas to receive the yarn into it when withdrawn from operation in a mannerto be more fully described hereinafter. The two cutter parts 19 and 2t)are conveniently strip-like members inclining slightly downwardlytowards the needles and carried at their outer parts on a carrier 120(see Figure 8) pivoted at its rear end on a block 24 which is fixed toan arm 25 pivotally mounted at 26 to a suitable part of the machine. Therelatively stationary cutter part 19 is fixed on the carrier 120 and arecess is provided in the top face of the carrier 120 for slidablyaccommodating the moving cutter part 20 (which is biassed upwardly tothe cutter part 19 by a leaf spring 121) for axial movement radially ofthe needle cylinder so as to move the cutting edge 21 into and out ofcutting position with the stationary cutting edge 23. A spring 27 servesto bias the moving cutter part 20 to its inoperative or withdrawnposition, and for operating the cutter there is provided a pivoted lever28 one end of which bears on the outer end of the cutter part 20 and theother end of which is engaged by a bell crank 29 which is operated by arod 30 from a lever 31. This lever 31 is rocked intermittently in timedrelation with the intermittent movement of the yarn feeder 6 through themedium of a further lever 32 one end of which engages under one end ofthe lever 31 and the other end of which engages under a pivoted arm 33(see also Figure 5) which has a stepped upper edge 34 co-operating witha stationary lug 35. The pivoted arm 33 is pivoted to the aforesaidreciprocating bar 9 in the same manner as the aforesaid stepped arm 13associated with the yarn feeder 6 so that the two arms 13 and 33 movetogether to operate the yarn feeder 6 and the cutter 20 in timedrelation with each other (the cutter 20 being operated immediately aftereach withdrawal of the feeder). There may be an adjusting screw 44 foradjusting the location of the cutter arm 20 in the direction of itsmovement.

The cutting device 18, the carrier 120, and block 24, are normally outof operation during the production of a stocking by spring means 124biassing them about the pivot 26 to a withdrawn position and they aremovable into operative position when required for splicing through themedium of a cam bit 36 on a cam drum 37 operating a thrust rod 38 whichis connected to a bell crank 39 having mounted on it a trip mechanismindicated generally at 40 (Figure 1), a part 41 of which bears on anextension plate 42 of the block 24. This extension plate 42 also carriesthe pivot 43 for the aforesaid lever 28 so that when the block, carrierand cutting device are moved into and out of operation this lever 28 iscarried with them.

In operation it will be understood that each time the yarn feeder 6 iswithdrawn, the length of yarn between the raised feeder and the fabricbecomes disposed at an angle from the feeder to the fabric immediatelybehind the needles and, as the needles travel round, the length of yarnenters between the plates 69, of the yarn controller 16 (Figure 10) and,as the needles travel round still further, that end of the length ofyarn nearest the fabric travels into the notch formed by the cuttingedges 21, 23 of the cutting device 18 and is cut by operation of thecutter part 20. More specifically, and as previously intimated, at thelocation of the cutting edges 21, 23 the needles rise slightly from theknock-over position and (see Figure 6) the fabric loops are slightlyraised towards the already closely located cutting edges of the cuttingdevice 18 and are maintained at this level for a short distance .untilthey have passed the cutter device; furthermore at said location theyarn has not commenced to move inwardly in the formation of a chord ofthe circle of needles. In consequence of this arrangement the yarn isengaged and cut by cutting edges 21, 23 in almost any desired closerelationship with the fabric according to requirements, thereby leavinga short end of the yarn of desired length projecting from the fabricafter the yarn is cut.

The said cutter parts 19 and 20 are preferably biassed downwardly intoposition against adjustable stopv means such as to enable a fineadjustment to be effected between the cutting edges of the cutter partsand the fabric for determining the length of the cut ends of yarn, andsuch that should any obstruction engage under the cutting edges thecutting edge part of the cutter device can be displaced against thespring means to avoid possible damage. For this purpose there may be acoil spring 63 biassing the carrier 120 downwardly, and an adjustingscrew 72, carried by the cutter part 19, may bear on the sinker cap 3.This spring 63 and the pivotal carrier 120 allows for automatichighering and lowering of the cutting part 218 of the cutting device 18according to the conventional raising and lowering of the needlecylinder.

The trapping of the yarn by the said yarn controller 16 serves as acontrol for that out part of the yarn intended for re-introduction tothe needles by the next lowering of the yarn feeder 6 and for thispurpose, see Figure 9, the yarn engages round the upper tip of the wingpart 69a for the latter to ensure that the end of the yarn is disposeddirectly across the line of needles when taken in by the needles;furthermore said part 69a ensures that there is no excess looping of theyarn, any looping being taken up by the yarn wrapping round said'part69a. The aforesaid cymbals 66 carried by the feeder 6 ensures that theyarn is not drawn back through the feeder until the yarn is taken in bythe needles because, uponwithdrawal of the yarn the feeder movementcauses 'the cymbals to grip the withdrawn yarn and hold it grippedduring subsequent lowering of the feeder to reintroduce the yarn so asnot to draw yarn back through the feeder, until the feeder is fully down(and the yarn end is taken in the needles) whereupon the cymbals areopened. The relationship between the movements of the feeder 6 and thelocation of the cutting device 18 is such that the extent of projectionof this end of the yarn, when reintroduced is substantially the same asthe other end.

it will be understood from the foregoing description that the cutterparts 19 and 20 have their inner ends projecting over the line ofneedles and it will therefore be appreciated that if there should be afaulty needle in an elevated position and passing beyond the knock overstation (and preventative means are not provided) the raised needle willfoul the inner ends of the cutting device 18 with undesirable results.Consequently safety means are preferably provided convenientlyconsisting of a pivoted detector lever 46 pivoted to the cutting device18 at 47 and having its inner end 48 projecting over the needles at alocation substantially at the knock over station i. e. in advance of thecutting device 18 with respect to the direction of travel of theneedles. The other end 49 of the detector lever 46 engages one end of abell crank 50 the other end 51 of which engages under a projecting endof a trip lever 52, the trip lever 52 is pivoted at 53 to the aforesaidbell crank lever 39 and it is spring biassed downwardly so that astepped part 54thereof engages a peg 55 projecting from an arm S 56which is also pivoted to the bell crank 39 and has said part 41 engagingthe plate extension 42 0f the block 24. Thus it will be seen that whenthe cutting device 18 is in operation it is held by the engagement ofthe stepped part 54 of the trip member 52 with the peg 55 of the arm 56.Consequently if an elevated faulty needle arrives at the knock-overstation, it engages the inner end 48 of the detector lever 46 thereby tomove it about its pivot 47, and this results in movement of the bellcrank 50 such as to raise the trip arm 52 at its free end to rel-easethe step 54 out of engagement with the peg 5'5. Thus the cutting device18 is freed from the means holding it in operative position and itswings to safety out of operation by the aforesaid spring means 124. Indoing this it is arranged to operate a stop motion to stop the machineconveniently through the medium of a downwardly projecting pin 58 whichstrikes a pivoted arm 59 and moves the latter pivotally to engage acollar 60 and displace a rod 61 on which the collar is fixed. This rod61 is connected at one end to any suitable mechanism for stopping driveto the machine.

As illustrated in Figures 11 and 12 the machine may have a latch ringgap closer automatically operable by mechanism, part of which isindicated at 106, in conventional manner such as to move the gap closer105 circumferentially of the needle circle at required times. At suchtimes it is desired for the cutting device 18 to be appropriately movedinto and out of operative position and for this purpose there may beprovided a coupling rod 107 attached to the cutting device by aconnection 108 and extending freely through a hole 109 in a peg 110fixed to an arm of said mechanism 106, said rod 107 having anenlargement 111 fixed (adjustable if desired) on its free end. Thearrangement is therefore such that initial movement of the gap closer ineither direction has no effect on the cutting device 18 but upon thefull movement being imparted to the gap closer in clockwise direction inplan the enlargement 111 is engaged by the peg 110 thereby to displacethe cutting device 18 about its pivot to the inoperative position. Fromthe foregoing description it will be understood that the invention isapplicable to that method of splicing wherein the splicing feeder ismoved into and out of feeding position in each splicing course; howeverthe invention is also applicable to the alternative splicing methodwherein the splicing feeder remains in feeding position during eachsplicing course and the needles are selected some to take the splicingyarn and others to miss it. In the latter method it will be appreciatedthat employment of the aforesaid yarn controller is of greaterimportance than in the former method in that it must be employed to trapthe yarn for satisfactory reintroduction of the yarn to the selectedactive needles.

It will be further understood from the foregoing construction that theinvention is applicable to a machine in which there is a single yarnfeeding station. However the invention is also applicable to a machinehaving more than one feeding station say where there are two feeders,there being cutter means according to the invention associated with eachstation.

I claim:

1. The combination in a circular knitting machine of a yarn feeder,means for causing yarn from the feeder to knit and not to knit in eachof certain courses, a binder inside the needle circle adjacent thefeeder appropriate to receive the yarn when not knitting, a cutter bladewhich is in a plane substantially perpendicular to the direction ofreciprocation of the needles and is closely over the immediate rear ofthe hook of a needle partly raised at a location just after knock overappropriately for engaging that end of the non-knitting yarn nearest thefabric, and means operating in timed relation with the change fromknitting to non-knitting of the yarn for operating the cutter to cut thenon-knitting yarn when said end becomes disposed at said location. p v

2. The combination in a circular knitting machine of I a yarn feeder,means for moving the yarn feeder from a position feeding the yarnoutside the needle circle to a position disposing the extruding yarn innon-knitting manner inside the needle circle wherefrom the non-knittingextruding yarn is carried round with the needles, a binder inside theneedle circle adjacent the feeder appropriate to receive thenon-knitting extruding yarn, a cutter blade which is in a planesubstantially perpendicular to the direction of reciprocation of theneedles and is closely over the immediate rear of the hook of a needlepartly raised just after knock over appropriately for engaging that endof the non-knitting extruding yarn nearest the fabric, and meansoperating in timed relation with operation of the feeder for operatingthe cutter to cut the non-knitting extruding yarn when said end becomesdisposed at said location.

3. The combination in a circular knitting machine of a yarn feeder,means for causing yarn from the feeder to knit and not to knit in eachof certain courses, a binder inside the needle circle adjacent thefeeder appropriate to receive the yarn when not knitting, a cutter bladewhich is in a plane substantially perpendicular to the direction ofreciprocation of the needles and is closely over the immediate rear ofthe hook of a needle partly raised at a location just after knock overto the extent of a group of about six needles whereat the loop in saidhook is elevated towards the cutter blade appropriately for the cutterblade to engage that end of the non-knitting yarn nearest the fabric,and means operating in timed relation with the change from knitting tonon-knitting of the yarn for operating the cutter to cut thenon-knitting yarn when said end becomes disposed at said location.

4. The combination in a circular knitting machine of a yarn feeder,means for causing yarn from the feeder to knit and not to knit in eachof certain courses on a varying size group of needles, a binder insidethe needle circle adjacent the feeder appropriate to receive the yarnwhen not knitting, a cutter blade which is in a plane substantiallyperpendicular to the direction of reciprocation of the needles and isclosely over the immediate rear of the hook of a needle partly raised ata location just after knock over appropriately for engaging that end ofthe non-knitting yarn nearest the fabric, and means operated in timedrelation with the change from knitting to non-knitting of the yarn onthe varying size group of needles for operating the cutter to cut thenon-knitting yarn, at the different positions in a course according tothe size of the group of needles, when said end becomes disposed at saidlocation.

5. The combination in a circular knitting machine of a yarn feeder,means for causing yarn from the feeder to knit and not to knit in eachof certain courses, a binder inside the needle circle adjacent thefeeder appropriate to receive the yarn when not knitting, a cutterdevice disposed radially outside the needle circle and having a cutterblade at its inner end which is in a plane substantially perpendicularto the direction of reciprocation of the needles and is closely over theimmediate rear of the hook of a needle partly raised at a location justafter knock over appropriately for engaging that end of the non-knittingyarn nearest the fabric, adjustment means for the cutter device toadjust the position of the cutter blade relatively to the needles, andmeans operated in timed relation with the change from knitting tononknitting of the yarn for operating the cutter to cut the non-knittingyarn when said end becomes disposed at said location.

6. The combination as claimed in claim including a feeler on the cutterdevice having a part in the path of any needle which is undesirablyraised when approaching the cutter device, and stop motion operatingmeans suitably connected to this feeler for operation if the feeler isengaged by a raised needle.

7. The combination as claimed in claim 6 having means for jointlydisplacing the cutter device and the feeler into and out of operativeposition.

8. The combination in a circular knitting machine of a yarn feeder,means for moving the yarn feeder from a position feeding the yarnoutside the needle circle to a position disposing the extruding yarn innon-knitting manner inside the needle circle wherefrom the nonknittingextruding yarn is carried round with the needles, a binder inside theneedle circle adjacent the feeder appropriate to receive thenon-knitting extruding yarn, a cutter blade which is in a planesubstantially perpendicular to the direction of reciprocation of theneedles and is closely over the immediate, rear of the hook of a needlepartly raised just after knock over appropriately for engaging that endof the non-knitting extruding yarn nearest the fabric, means operated intimed relation with operation of the feeder for operating the cutter tocut the non-knitting extruding yarn when said end becomes disposed atsaid location, a second binder carried by the yarn feeder forcontrolling yarn leading to the feeder, a stationary abutment foropening the binder when the yarn feeder moves to the knitting position,and spring means for closing the binder when the feeder moves to thenonknitting position.

9. The combination in a circular knitting machine of a yarn feeder,means for moving the yarn feeder from a position feeding the yarnoutside the needle circle to a position disposing the extruding yarn innon-knitting manner inside the needle circle wherefrom the non-knittingextruding yarn is carried round with the needles, a binder inside theneedle circle adjacent the feeder appropriate to receive thenon-knitting extruding yarn and movable between operative andinoperative positions, a cutter device movable between operative andinoperative positions including relatively movable cutting edges and acutting blade which is in a plane substantially perpendicular to thedirection of reciprocation of the needles and is closely over theimmediate rear of the hook of a needle partly raised just after knockover appropriately for engaging that end of the non-knitting extrudingyarn nearest the fabric, stop motion operating mechanism, a feeler foractuating the stop motion operating mechanism and disposed in the pathof a raised needle approaching the cutter device and movable betweenoperative and inoperative positions, a second binder carried by thefeeder and operable to bind or free the yarn leading to the feeder, andmeans operated in timed relation with operation of the feeder forrendering the first binder, the cutter device, and the feeler operativeand inoperative, and for operating the movable edge of the cutter to cutthe non-knitting extruding yarn when said end becomes disposed at saidlocation and for operating the second binder for it to free the yarnwhen knitting and to bind the yarn when not knitting.

10. The combination as claimed in claim 1 including a latch ring gapcloser, means for automatically displacing it, and means whereby thedisplacement causes displacement of the cutter blade appropriately intooperative or inoperative positions.

11. The combination in a circular knitting machine of a yarn feeder,operating means for moving the feeder between knitting and non-knittingpositions once in each of a group of courses, pattern control meansincluding a cam and mechanism between the cam and the feeder for varyingthe period of time in each course that the feeder is in knittingposition to feed to varying size groups of needles, a binder inside'theneedle circle adjacent the feeder appropriate to receive the yarn whennot knitting, a cutter device outside the needle circle and extendingradially inwards and inclining downwards to the needle circle includingrelatively movable cutting edges and a cutter blade which is in a planesubstantially perpendicular to the direction of reciprocation of theneedles and is closely over the immediate rear of the hook of a needlepartly raised at a location just after knock over appropriately engagingthat end of the non-knitting yarn nearest the fabric when carried roundby the needles to the cutter, and mechanism between said cam and thecutter device for the latter's operation by the said operating means insuch timed relation with the movements of the feeder to non-knittingposition that the non-knitting yarn is cut each variable time, accordingto the variable time that the feeder is in knitting position, that saidend becomes disposed at said location.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STA ES PATENTS Trudelet a1 Sept. 9, 1930 Page July 18, 1933 Lawson et a1. June 10, 1941 St.Pierre Aug. 12, 1941 Hilker et al. Dec. 15, 1942 Toone Sept. 5, 1944

